Development of the Talent Identification Questionnaire in Soccer for Outfield Players (TIDQ-OP): Coaches' perceptions of the key attributes for player recruitment.

Talent identification in sports is a complex process, whereby the aim is to identify, select and promote players who are considered to have the necessary skills and competencies (e.g., technical, tactical, and physical attributes) to succeed in senior adult competition. To support this process, this study focused on the development of a questionnaire to assist in the identification of talent among South African youth soccer players. This will establish a measure of the attributes coaches consider important when making talent identification decisions for outfield soccer players. The questionnaire was constructed following established instrument development phases. In phase 1, 61 questionnaire items were generated based on a review of the relevant literature. In phase 2, a panel of experts examined the content validity of the preliminary items. In phase 3, the provisional 59-item questionnaire (Talent Identification Questionnaire in Soccer for Outfield Players; TIDQ-OP) was administered to 173 experienced South African soccer coaches (130 males and 43 females) who ranged in age from 18 to 64 years. In phase 3, the factorial structure of the questionnaire was established through principal component analysis. The final questionnaire consisted of 58 items. These preliminary analyses indicate the usefulness of the TIDQ-OP as a tool to assist South African coaches in the identification and selection of talented players.

Association of adiposity and fitness with triglyceride-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in youth.

Background: The ratio of triglycerides-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) is considered a robust biomarker of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and is associated with several diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypertension (HTN). This study examined the independent association of adiposity and fitness with the TG/HDL-C ratio. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study comprising 403 (201 girls) Nigerian adolescents aged 11-19 years. Participants were evaluated for body mass index, cardiorespiratory fitness, and TG/HDL-C. Regression models adjusting for age and biological maturity were used to evaluate the association of adiposity and fitness with TG/HDL-C ratio. The TG/HDL-C ratios of 1.0 mmol/L and 1.1 mmol/L were used to stratify female and male participants into low- and high-risk groups, respectively. Results: Of the 135 high-risk adolescents, 21.1%, 5.5%, 12.7%, 14.9%, and 0.5% were at risk of T2DM, systolic HTN, diastolic HTN, abdominal obesity, and MetS, respectively. The independent variables were significantly associated with TG/HDL-C ratio only in boys but not girls. In boys, high adiposity (ß = 0.193; P = 0.025) and low fitness (ß = -0.169; P = 0.048) were independently associated with the dependent variable. Unfit boys were 3.9 (95% confidence interval [CI] =1.37-10.94, P = 0.011) times more likely to develop elevated TG/HDL-C ratio than their fit peers. The likelihood of girls at risk of MetS developing a high TG/HDL-C ratio was 13.7 (95% CI = 3.89-48.32, P < 0.001) times compared to their counterparts without MetS. Conclusions: Adiposity and fitness were independently associated with TG/HDL-C in boys but not in girls. Health promotion intervention focusing on lowering TG/HDL-C ratio among Nigerian adolescents should include an emphasis on healthy diet and endurance activity programs.

Differentiating African Teams from European Teams: Identifying the Key Performance Indicators in the FIFA World Cup 2018.

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Despite this global popularity, European teams in contrast to African ones, have dominated the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup tournaments for many decades. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the performance indicators that differentiated between African and European teams in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Thirty matches played by five European (n = 15) and five African teams (n = 15) from the group stages of the World Cup were analysed using the InStat video system. The results showed that European teams had higher averages than African teams on the following performance variables: total shots, shots on target, goals scored from open play and set pieces, ball possession, short passes, medium passes, total passes, accurate passes and corner kicks. Therefore, soccer coaches should take note of these findings as they could serve as a benchmark for African teams to set trends and improve their performance at FIFA World Cup tournaments.

Association of Fitness and Fatness with Clustered Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Nigerian Adolescents.

Purpose: This study examinedthe independent and joint association of fitness and fatness with clustered cardiovascular disease risk (CVDrs) in 11-18 year-old Nigerian adolescents. Methods: A hundred and ninety seven adolescents (100 girls and 97 boys) were evaluated forfitness, fatness and CVDrs. Fitness was evaluated with the progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run test while fatness was assessed using body mass index. A clustered CVDrs was computed from the standardized residuals of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, Low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, plasma glucose, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure. Regression models controlling for waist circumference assessed the association of fitness and fatness with CVDrs. Results: Prevalence of clustered CVD risk was 7.1% (girls = 3.0%; boys = 4.1%). Based on risk factor abnormalities, 52.8% of participants had one or more CVD risk factor abnormalities with more boys (27.4%) affected. Low fitness was associated with clustered CVDrs in both girls (R2 = 9.8%, ß = -0.287, p = 0.05) and boys (R2 = 17%, ß = -0.406, p < 0.0005). Fatness was not associated with the CVDrs in both sexes. After controlling for all the variables in the model, only fitness (R2 = 10.4%) and abdominal fat (R2 = 19.5%) were associated with CVDrs respectively. Unfit girls were 3.2 (95% CI = 1.31-7.91, p = 0.011) times likely to develop CVD risk abnormality compared to their fit counterparts. The likelihood of unfit boys developing CVD risk abnormality was 3.9 (95% CI = 1.15-10.08, p = 0.005) times compared to their fit peers. Conclusions: Fitness but not fatness was a better predictor of CVDrs in Nigerian boys and girls. The result of this study suggests that any public health strategies aimed at preventing or reversing the increasing trends of CVD risk in adolescents should emphasize promotion of aerobic fitness.

Match Performance Indicators that Discriminated Between Winning, Drawing and Losing Teams in the 2017 AFCON Soccer Championship.

The purpose of this study was to examine match performance indicators that discriminated between winning, drawing and losing teams in the 2017 Total Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) soccer championship. Data were collected from 32 matches during the AFCON soccer tournament using the InStat® system. The studied variables included the number of goals scored, the time period in which a goal was scored and the impact of the first goal on the match outcome, as well as total shots, shots on goal, total passes, accurate passes, corners, ball possession, fouls, offsides as well as yellow and red cards. The results showed that goals scored (1.80 ± 0.83), total shots (11.05 ± 4.83), shots on target (4.70 ± 2.62), fouls (18.60 ± 5.19), offsides (2.35 ± 1.76), yellow cards (1.55 ± 1.10), and red cards (0.05 ± 0.22) were discriminative performance indicators of winning teams. In contrast, losing teams yielded higher mean values in total passes (260.30 ± 49.10), accurate passes (69.28 ± 5.74), corners (5.10 ± 2.95), and ball possession (51.20 ± 5.52). In conclusion, these results have practical implications for coaches in planning and implementing team tactics for successful performance.

Trends of Goal Scoring Patterns in Soccer: A Retrospective Analysis of Five Successive FIFA World Cup Tournaments.

This study analysed the 795 goals scored during a total of 320 matches played in five successive FIFA World Cup tournaments (1998-2014). Data were obtained through YouTube videos and analysed by means of Longomatch software. The variables analysed included the number of goals scored per half (45-min period), per 15-min period, and per 30-min period of extra time, goal scoring zones, goals scored by substitutes, types of goals scored, and goals scored according to the playing position. With regard to 15-min period analysis, most goals were scored between the 76th and 90th minutes (24.7%) of the game in all five World Cup competitions. Chi-square analyses showed no significant (p > 0.05) differences in the frequency of goal scoring patterns per 45-min and 15-min periods in the five World Cup tournaments. Most goals were scored from inside the goal (23.8%) and penalty (14.6%) areas. The greatest number of goals was scored by strikers (54.2%), followed by midfielders (33.3%) and defenders (2.3%). These findings provide practical implications for improving goal-scoring performance in soccer.

Relationship between obesity and blood pressure among employees in the Vhembe district municipality of Limpopo Province, South Africa.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between obesity and blood pressure among employees of the Vhembe district municipality of Limpopo province. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 452 local government employees (207 males, 245 females) aged 24-65 years. Body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP) and waist circumference (WC) measurements, and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were assessed. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) statistics, version 21. RESULTS: The results showed that 27% of the participants were classified as overweight and 34% as obese, with females being more overweight and obese (29 and 48%, respectively) compared to males (24 and 17%, respectively). Twenty-five per cent of the participants were hypertensive, with females (27%) showing a higher prevalence compared to males (22%). Based on BMI categories, the obese group (35%) had a higher prevalence of hypertension in contrast to groups that were of normal weight (18%) and overweight (22%). The results also showed that systolic blood pressure (SBP) was positively (p ≤ 0.05) correlated with BMI (r = 0.15), WC (r = 0.26) and WHtR (r = 0.29) in the normal and overweight groups (WC, r = 0.23 and WHtR, r = 0.26), and WHtR correlated with SBP (r = 0.26) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: The study showed a high prevalence of overweight, obesity and hypertension, with females more affected than their male counterparts. BMI, WC and WHtR were positively correlated with SBP in the normal and overweight groups, with WHtR positively correlated with both SBP and DBP in the overweight group. Therefore, it is recommended that intervention regimes designed to address obesity and hypertension should consider risk awareness for cardiovascular diseases, impaired quality of life and productivity among local government employees.

The Influence of Situational Variables on Ball Possession in the South African Premier Soccer League.

Although the influence of ball possession in soccer has been well studied in other leagues, such information is sparse concerning the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL). The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of situational variables on ball possession in the PSL. Thirty-two matches played during the 2016-2017 PSL season were analysed using a multiple-camera match analysis system (InStat®). Three situational variables (match outcome, match location, and quality of opposition) and team performance variables (percentage of ball possession, ball possession <5 s, ball possession 5-15 s, ball possession 15-45 s, and ball possession >45 s) were examined. The results showed that losing teams had the highest ball possession (52.35 ± 5.90%) compared to winning (47.65 ± 5.90%) and drawing (50.00 ± 9.98%) teams. Playing away significantly (p < 0.05) decreased ball possession by 5.21% compared to playing at home. Playing against weak opposition was associated with increased ball possession by 4.09%. Conclusively, soccer coaches should be aware of the potential role of situational variables in determining successful team performance in a league season.

Development and initial validation of an instrument to assess stressors among South African sports coaches.

The aim of this series of studies was to develop and initially validate an instrument to assess stressors among South African sports coaches. In study one, a preliminary pool of 45 items was developed based on existing literature and an expert panel was employed to assess the content validity and applicability of these items. In study two, the 32 items that were retained after study one were analysed using principal component analysis (PCA). The resultant factorial structure comprised four components: environmental stressors, performance stressors, task-related stressors, and athlete stressors. These four components were made up of 26 items and, together, the components and items comprised the provisional Stressors in Sports Coaching Questionnaire (SSCQ). The results show that the SSCQ demonstrates acceptable internal consistency (.73-.89). The findings provide preliminary evidence that SSCQ is a valid tool to assess stressors among South African sports coaches.

Physical Fitness, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, or Diet-What Are the Correlates of Obesity in Polish School Children?

There is substantial evidence of rising prevalence of overweight and obesity and its co-morbidities among children in western-high income developed countries. In the European Union, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing fastest among Polish children. Yet, there is paucity of evidence on the relationship of behavioral factors with body weight status of children in Poland. This study examined the association of obesity with physical fitness, physical activity, sedentary behavior and diet among Polish children. A total of 641 children (10-15 years) recruited from the Lower Silesia region of Poland participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants' anthropometrics, physical fitness, physical activity, sedentary behavior and dietary intake were assessed. Outcome variables were weight categories (according to body mass index [BMI], waist-to-hip ratio [WHR], and percentage body fat [% BF]). The strongest negative correlation was found between VO2max and %BF (r = -0.39, p <0.05). Significant negative correlation was also found between VO2max and weight categories (r = -0.15). Results of the multinomial logit analysis showed that VO2max increased in groups of overweight, normal weight and underweight children by 13%, 26% and 19%, respectively as compared to the group of obese children. VO2max and weight and obesity indices were strongly correlated in both gender and age groups. Education and intervention programs to increase physical fitness (VO2max) through aerobic training are recommended for Physical Education teachers, parents and children in order to reduce the rate of overweight and obesity among children in the Lower Silesia region of Poland.

Physical Performance and Anthropometric Characteristics of Male South African University Soccer Players.

Soccer is the most popular sport worldwide. Despite its global acclaim, scientific studies of soccer have tended to focus on tactics and techniques, thereby neglecting the physical and physiological profile of the players. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine physical and anthropometric characteristics of male South African university soccer players. Twenty-seven male soccer players aged 19 to 24 (mean age: 22.1 years; s = 1.5 years) volunteered to participate in the study. The results showed that goalkeepers (77.5 ± 9.7 kg) and defenders (68.2 ± 6.5 kg) were the heaviest compared to players in other playing positions. The goalkeepers also had the highest percentage of body fat (11.3 ± 2.3%), in contrast to midfielders who had the lowest body fat content (9.1 ± 0.9%). With regard to flexibility, defenders (45.1 ± 4.9 cm) and midfielders (45.9 ± 5.4 cm) performed better than goalkeepers (37.1 ± 4.3 cm) and strikers (40.1 ± 3.4 cm). Midfielders (57.2 ± 3.1 ml1·kg-1·min1) and defenders (56.1 ± 5.1 ml1·kg-1·min1) had significantly higher values of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) than goalkeepers (47.9 ± 0.2 ml-1·kg-1·min-1) and strikers (49.8 ± 6.2 ml-1·kg-1·min-1). No significant (p > 0.05) differences were observed for all other variables, with the exception of body height, body mass, and VO2max. It was therefore concluded that sports scientists and coaches should tailor conditioning programmes in soccer according to players' positions in view of the implications for successful performance.

Two-year longitudinal health-related fitness, anthropometry and body composition status amongst adolescents in Tlokwe Municipality: The PAHL Study.

AIM: To evaluate a two-year longitudinal development of health-related fitness, anthropometry and body composition status amongst adolescents in Tlokwe Municipality, Potchefstroom, South Africa. SETTING: A total of 283 high-school learners (111 boys and 172 girls) of ages 14 and 15 years who were part of the ongoing Physical Activity and Health Longitudinal Study (PAHLS) participated in the study. For the purpose of the present study, data collected for 2011 and 2012 for anthropometric, body composition and health-related physical fitness were used. RESULTS: Body mass index (BMI) classification of boys and girls for 2011 and 2012 showed that 24.3% of them were underweight compared with 21% in 2012. In 2011, 50% of boys and girls had normal bodyweight compared with 52% in 2012, whilst 25.5% of the total group of participants were overweight compared with 27% in 2012. Both boys and girls showed significant increases of 5.9% in body fat (BF) and 3.2 kg in body weight over two years' measurements, respectively. Regarding health-related fitness (i.e BAH), boys showed an increase of 14.8 seconds whilst girls gained 9.6 seconds. Significant decreases were found for sit-ups in both boys and girls. A significant VO2max increase of 2.9 mL/kg/min. was found in boys over the time period. A non-significant decrease of -0.5 mL/kg/min. was observed in girls. Regression coefficients showed that changes in BMI were inversely associated with those in health-related physical fitness. The changes in percentage BF were negatively associated with standing broad jump (SBJ), bent arm hang (BAH) and VO2 max in both boys and girls. A low significant positive association was found between changes in waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and SBJ in both genders, whilst inverse low associations were found between WHtR and BAH in girls and for VO2max in both genders. CONCLUSION: Changes in BMI, %BF and WHtR were negatively associated with strength and running performances in the participating children. The relative increase in overweight, especially in girls, negatively affected their endurance running and static strength performances. The health implications of the observed findings are discussed and recommendations offered for physical activity intervention in school physical education (PE) programmes.

Índice de massa corpórea, sobrepeso e pressão arterial em escolares na província de Limpopo, África do Sul / Body mass index, overweight, and blood pressure among adolescent schoolchildren in Limpopo province, South Africa / Índice de masa corporal, sobrepeso y presión arterial en adolescentes de la província de limpopo, Sudáfrica

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a relação entre índice de massa corporal, sobrepeso e pressão arterial em crianças e adolescentes da área rural da África do Sul. MÉTODOS: A amostra abrangeu 1.172 escolares (541 meninos e 631 meninas) com idades entre 10 e 16 anos. Estatura, massa corporal e dobras cutâneas foram medidas por meio de procedimentos padrão. O sobrepeso foi definido pelo índice de massa corporal para idade e sexo. A pressão arterial foi monitorada três vezes em cada criança com o uso de aparelhos eletrônicos validados (Omron HEM-705 CP, Omron, Tóquio, Japão). A hipertensão foi determinada como a média de três leituras da pressão arterial, em que a sistólica ou a diastólica foi igual ou acima do percentil 90 para idade e sexo. Estatísticas descritivas foram calculadas para todas as variáveis. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de sobrepeso foi de 5,5% para meninos e 4,4% para meninas. A taxa de crianças com pressão arterial acima do percentil 90 variou de 2,3 a 5,9%. A probabilidade do desenvolvimento de hipertensão em crianças é perceptível aos dez anos, tanto para os meninos (0,2%) quanto para as meninas (0,1%), e oscilou de 0,2 a 1,7% para o sexo masculino e de 0,1 a 1,2% para o feminino. Considerando-se a amostra total, a prevalência de hipertensão foi de 4,1% para os meninos e 2,8% para as meninas. A pressão arterial apresentou correlação positiva com estatura, massa corporal, índice de massa corporal, gordura corpórea e soma das dobras cutâneas (p<0,001). CONCLUSÕES: A pressão arterial aumentou com a idade tanto para os meninos quanto para as meninas. A medição da pressão arterial de rotina, como parte do exame físico em escolares, é crucial para fins de prevenção e medidas de intervenção precoces.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between body mass index, overweight, and blood pressure among South African rural children and adolescents. METHODS: The sample involved 1,172 schoolchildren (541 boys and 631 girls) aged 10 to 16 years. Stature, body mass, and skinfolds were measured using standard procedures. Overweight was defined by body mass index for gender and age. Blood pressure was monitored in each child three times using validated electronic devices (Omron HEM-705 CP, Device, Tokyo, Japan). Hypertension was determined as the average of three separate blood pressure readings, in which the systolic or diastolic blood pressure was ≥90th percentile for age and sex. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight was 5.5% for boys and 4.4% for girls. The children who had systolic blood pressure >90th percentile ranged from 2.3 to 5.9%. The likelihood of hypertension development among children is noticeable at age 10 for both boys and girls (0.2 and 0.1%, respectively), and ranged from 0.2 to 1.7% for boys and 0.1 to 1.2% for girls. Collectively, the prevalence of hypertension was 4.1 and 2.8% for boys and girls, respectively. Blood pressure correlated positively with stature, body mass, body mass index, body fat, and sum of skinfolds (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Blood pressure increased with age in both genders. The routine measurement of blood pressure, as part of physical examinations of schoolchildren, is crucial for early prevention and intervention programs.

OBJETIVO: Este estudio evalúa la relación entre índice de masa corporal, sobrepeso y presión arterial en adolescentes rurales sudafricanos. MÉTODOS: La muestra incluyó a 1.172 niños de 10-16 años de edad (541 del sexo masculino y 631 del sexo femenino). La estatura, la masa corporal y los pliegues cutáneos se midieron utilizando procedimientos estándares. El sobrepeso se definió según el índice de masa corporal para sexo y edad. Se monitorizó la presión arterial por tres veces en cada niño utilizando aparatos electrónicos validados (Omron HEM-705 CP, Omron, Tokio, Japón). Se determinó la hipertensión cuando los promedios de la presión sistólica o diastólica, calculados con base en las tres mediciones de presión arterial, fueron ≥percentil 90 para edad y sexo. Se calcularon estadísticas descriptivas para todas las variables. RESULTADOS: La prevalencia de sobrepeso fue del 5,5% en los niños y 4,4% en las niñas. El porcentaje de adolescentes con presión arterial sistólica >percentil 90 osciló entre el 2,3 y el 5,9%. La probabilidad de desarrollo de hipertensión entre los jóvenes fue notable a los 10 años tanto en los niños como en las niñas (0,2 y 0,1%, respectivamente) y osciló entre el 0,2 y el 1,7% en los niños y entre el 0,1 y el 1,2% en las niñas. Colectivamente, la prevalencia de hipertensión fue del 4,1 y el 2,8% en niños y niñas, respectivamente. La presión arterial estuvo positivamente correlacionada con estatura, masa corporal, índice de masa corporal, grasa corporal y suma de pliegues cutáneos (p=0,00). CONCLUSIONES: La presión arterial se elevó con la edad tanto en los niños como en las niñas, y estuvo positivamente correlacionada con estatura, masa corporal, índice de masa corporal, grasa corporal y suma de pliegues cutáneos. La medición de rutina de la presión arterial como parte del examen físico de escolares es crucial para la prevención precoz y la implementación de programas de intervención.

Prevalence of childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity in Benue State, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate demographic variation in the prevalence of overweight (OW) and obesity (OB) among 3240 children and adolescents (girls: n = 1714; boys: n = 1526) aged 9-16 years attending primary and secondary schools in Benue State of Nigeria. METHODS: Participants' anthropometric characteristics (body weight, stature, body mass index: BMI and lean body mass: LBM) were determined using standard protocols. OW and OB were estimated using International Obesity task Force diagnostic criteria. Data were analysed with one-way anova and binary logistic regression method. RESULTS: Overall, 88.5%, 9.7% and 1.8% of the adolescents had normal BMI and were OW and obese, respectively. Prevalence of OW was higher among girls (20.3%) than boys (16.2%), whereas a relatively higher incidence of OB was noted among the boys (3.5%). Girls in urban areas had a significantly higher BMI (t524 = 3.61, P = 0.002) than their rural peers, but the rural girls were more significantly OW than their urban counterparts (BMI: t1186 = 2.506). Logistic regression models assessing the influence of age, gender and location on OW/OB in children (α(2) (3, N = 1014) = 6.185, P = 0.103) and adolescents (α(2) (3, N = 2226) = 1.435, P = 0.697) did not turn up significant results. In the gender-specific analysis, the younger boys' model was also not significant (α(2) (2, N = 488) = 1.295, P = 0.523) in contrast to the girls' (α(2) (2, N = 526) = 15.637, P = 0.0005), thus discriminating between OW and healthy weight among the children. Overall, the model explained 2.9-4.4% of the variance in weight status and correctly classified 76.8% of the cases. Age wise, the model yielded a significant odds ratio of 1.49, suggesting that the likelihood of being OW increases by a factor of 1.5 with a unit increase in age. Also, the likelihood of an urban girl becoming OW or obese was 0.57 times that of a rural girl. CONCLUSIONS: In general, girls in urban areas had higher prevalence of OW and OB than girls in rural settings. Among the boys, similar but less marked trends were found, except that the rural boys tended to be more OW on average than their peers in urban areas. In view of its public health significance, it is important to periodically evaluate the prevalence of weight disorders in children and adolescents so that appropriate preventative strategies can be instituted.

Anthropometrically determined nutritional status of urban primary schoolchildren in Makurdi, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: No information exists on the nutritional status of primary school children residing in Makurdi, Nigeria. It is envisaged that the data could serve as baseline data for future studies, as well as inform public health policy. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of malnutrition among urban school children in Makurdi, Nigeria. METHODS: Height and weight of 2015 (979 boys and 1036 girls), aged 9-12 years, attending public primary school in Makurdi were measured and the body mass index (BMI) calculated. Anthropometric indices of weight-for-age (WA) and height-for-age (HA) were used to estimate the children's nutritional status. The BMI thinness classification was also calculated. RESULTS: Underweight (WAZ < -2) and stunting (HAZ < -2) occurred in 43.4% and 52.7%, respectively. WAZ and HAZ mean scores of the children were -0.91(SD = 0.43) and -0.83 (SD = 0.54), respectively. Boys were more underweight (48.8%) than girls (38.5%), and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.024; p < 0.05). Conversely, girls tend to be more stunted (56.8%) compared to boys (48.4%) (p = 0.004; p < 0.05). Normal WAZ and HAZ occurred in 54.6% and 44.2% of the children, respectively. Using the 2007 World Health Organisation BMI thinness classification, majority of the children exhibited Grade 1 thinness (77.3%), which was predominant at all ages (9-12 years) in both boys and girls. Gender wise, 79.8% boys and 75.0% girls fall within the Grade I thinness category. Based on the WHO classification, severe malnutrition occurred in 31.3% of the children. CONCLUSIONS: There is severe malnutrition among the school children living in Makurdi. Most of the children are underweight, stunted and thinned. As such, providing community education on environmental sanitation and personal hygienic practices, proper child rearing, breast-feeding and weaning practices would possibly reverse the trends.

Growth status and menarcheal age among adolescent school girls in Wannune, Benue State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Menarcheal age is a sensitive indicator of environmental conditions during childhood. The aim of study is to determine the age at menarche and growth status in adolescents in a rural area of Tarka, Wannune, Nigeria. METHODS: Data on 722 female students (aged 12-18 years) were collected in February 2009. Height and weight were measured. Body mass index (BMI; kg m-2) was used as an index of relative weight. RESULTS: Mean and median menarcheal age calculated by probit analysis were 13.02 (SD 3.0) (95% CI: 13.02-13.07), and age 13.00 (SD 2.8) (95% CI: 12.98-13.04), respectively. Girls who reach menarche are significantly heavier and taller with higher BMIs than those of their pre-menarcheal peers. CONCLUSION: The age of menarche is probably still declining in Nigeria. Although BMI is an important factor in the onset of menstruation, some other unmeasured environmental variables may be implicated in this population.

Relationship between physical education students' achievements in a French badminton service test and expert ratings of technique quality.

Assessment of practical skills in physical education lessons have often been criticised as subjective. In this study three experienced judges' ratings poorly predicted the 116 students' scores on the French badminton short service test.

Validity of specific motor skills in predicting table-tennis performance in novice players.

An experiment assessed whether novice table-tennis players' ball-balancing and bouncing skills could predict their performances after a semester of being coached. A pretest-posttest design was used to test this hypothesis with 82 male and 77 female physical education students who initially performed the skills and subsequently participated in a round-robin tournament. Moderate negative but significant (p<.01) Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients were obtained between some of the ball control skills scores and overall ranking in the table-tennis tournament.